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Beyond - Legends A Common Crime: Pre-NJO Mystery/Political Thriller, Mostly OC

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Rogue1-and-a-half, Jul 3, 2010.

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  1. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    A Common Crime

    Prologue

    Loyl Jannan took in a deep breath, let it out slowly. He stretched back in his chair, closed his eyes and tightened himself until he felt something pop in his upper back and then in his neck. A dull ache had spread itself across his shoulders. He pushed back from the desk, minimizing the window on the data terminal in front of him.

    He felt Qualt Staffer shift in his chair at the other desk and knew without looking that Staffer would have a smirk on his face. Jannan considered speaking along with Staffer, but decided against it. Staffer went forward as he always did: ?Tired, Jan??

    ?Yeah,? Jannan said. For the past two hours he had been surfing the holonet. He?d fashioned something like the most perfect jizz mixtape in existence, he thought; two hours of not only the greatest jizz wailing, but perhaps the only truly great jizz wailing. That he?d heard anyway, though admittedly, he?d never really gotten into classic era Modal Nodes. And then he?d always intended to download something by Planet Ho and the Lookouts. But from where he currently sat, this was the essential jizz.

    He was lucky, he knew, to have a job that allowed him this kind of freedom to kill time doing things he might be doing at home otherwise. But along about this time, along about two o?clock in the morning, even passions like jizz mixtapes began to lose their luster. He was tired, so tired that he was suddenly aware of every inch of his body; he could feel his uniform laying against his skin, against every single milli of his skin.

    Wasn?t that the uniform of a Senate Security Guard was that uncomfortable; at least not on the night shift it wasn?t. Dayers had to occasionally wear full dress and even, every once in a blue moon, they had to actually don the ceremonial outfit, an unintentionally hilarious trainwreck of draped fabric, stiff inserts, incredibly huge buttons and, yes, it was true, a sort of miniature mountain range in the form of an incredibly top heavy hat.

    ?Plans for the weekend,? Staffer said, turning in his chair to face Jannan. Jannan was tired of resisting and he similarly swiveled. ?I?m thinking about hitting that new casino down on Ventural.?

    Jannan grinned. ?You idiot.? He shrugged. ?Of course, me, nothing. Stick around the apartment.? Jannan was actually going to be sticking around the apartment with his new girlfriend, but he had little interest in sharing that with Staffer. Staffer was a good guy, but he seemed to live in a perpetual locker room. A mention of a girlfriend was liable to bring out all his worst qualities; and Staffer had many good ones, after all, so why flirt with the bad ones?

    ?Right,? Staffer was saying. ?Grab some sack time. It kind of stacks up on you, doesn?t it, this job??

    ?That it does, that it does,? Jannan said. ?Hey, did you get that transmission about the . . .? he hesitated, ?The, uh, damn it.?

    ?The log correction forms?? Staffer said.

    ?Yeah, yeah, that,? Jannan said.

    ?I did,? Staffer said. ?What a load of crap that is? I mean, can you figure a more idiotic waste of time than that? And they want us to start six years back? I mean, that?s flippin? crazy.?

    ?Yeah,? Jannan said. He grabbed a stack of the forms off of his desk. He riffled them. ?Damn,? he said. ?I don?t have the strength for this spit. Not tonight.?

    Staffer laughed. ?I hear you.? He turned back in his chair, blew out a long breath. ?But I gotta get to that purchase order tonight. Talk about no strength.?

    ?Yeah,? Jannan said. He leaned forward over his desk, rubbed his face. He was aching with weariness. There was a small metallic click and the air handler in the hallway kicked on. The air in the dark hall stirred. Jannan looked up into the darkened hall, his eyes returning to the real world. After some seven hours cycling through a constant rotation of security camera screens, the hall seemed to recede endlessly, a dark tunnel, the dim security lights barely even glinting off the dark walls and th
     
  2. FelsGoddess

    FelsGoddess Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2004
    =D= Very interesting.
     
  3. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    Whoa! Great start! Please keep me on the PM list.
     
  4. The_Face

    The_Face Ex-Manager star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 22, 2003
    Awesome! Always glad to see a mystery on the boards. I'm digging the start, the way you set the scene and tone.

    I'd appreciate the update PMs if it's not too much trouble.
     
  5. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    Hey, you guys! :) Welcome, all!

    CHAPTER ONE

    ?Okay, whatta we got?? Adam Dandry popped the badge around his neck up and vaguely pointed it in the direction of the security guard in front of him. ?Detective Dandry.?

    ?This way,? the guard said and he turned to lead Adam Dandry into a mass of people. All were talking, some of them very loudly. All were doing something, some of them on their knees with small vacuum cleaners or syringes, others attacking every flat surface with handheld spray bottles and laser lights, still others snapping out small bags and depositing things in them with tweezers.

    ?Adam,? said one of the figures, sliding out of the mess. ?Here,? Fin Calysin said, extending a thermos to Dandry. Calysin raised her own and took a quick sip. ?Ooh, that?s good.?

    ?It better be,? Dandry said. ?Where are we here??

    ?Here,? Calysin said. She turned and bumped into an officer just straightening up from the floor. The spray bottle poofed a fine mist into Calysin?s face. ?Jeezing Jedi,? Calysin said. ?Bogart, handle that thing a little . . . here, let me have . . . let me have . . . okay, fine.? Calysin glanced down at her caf, made a face and, stepping around the edge of the security counter, poured it into a potted plant. An officer with tweezers let out a string of profanities. ?It?s a potted plant,? Calysin snapped. ?Sith, screwed that one up. Here.?

    Dandry had lifted his thermos high as he squeezed through the press of security officers surrounding the security counter. He tilted the thermos towards Calysin as he stepped up next to her. ?Ah, no thanks,? she said, waving a hand. ?I?ve had about fifty cups already.?

    Dandry scanned the floor. ?Where?s the Senator now?? he asked, pointing with his chin at the massive blood stain.

    ?Well,? Calysin said. ?That is a long story. As of right now, he?s at the Medical Examiner?s.? Calysin took a long step back, stepping on someone?s foot as she did so, and extended an arm. ?Sorry. Now, the med team took him through there after they?d done what they could here.? She pointed down. ?They got him down two floors before he coded on them. Clendon got pronounced down there and they held the body there for the ME. That?s why no tape.?

    ?Hmm,? Dandry said, taking a long sip of his caf. ?So, while he was here, they managed what??

    ?Not a whole hell of a lot,? Calysin said. ?Lead tech is sequestered in there. We got statements from the others, but ever since we got on site, we?ve had the lead broken off. Thought it might keep him fresher.?

    ?Good,? Dandry said. ?And the guards??

    ?Well,? Calysin said, edging past Dandry with a quick touch on the shoulder, ?We got one of ?em right around here.?

    Dandry took one last look at the blood stain and then followed Calysin to the corner, stepping carefully to avoid the Senator?s blood trail. ?Now we still got this one. ME?s on the way back, but, you know, Senator takes precedence over Security.?

    Dandry nodded and stepped around the corner behind Calysin. ?Holy Skywalker,? Dandry said quietly.

    ?I know,? Calysin said. ?Pretty grim. Some days it just don?t pay to get out of bed.? She flipped open her datapad. ?Now this lovely fellow here . . .? she paused. ?And also there . . . and there . . . is Qualt Staffer.?

    Dandry crouched next to Staffer?s head, looked into the staring eyes, and shook his own head. ?He?d been with us long??

    Calysin walked down the hall, pausing by a spray of blood on the wall, a swath from floor to ceiling. ?Eight years. Had a few reprimands in his file. The usual bantha fodder ones, you know, harassing Senatorial consorts, a couple of backtalks. Nothing serious. Never took a sick day. Not one. Saved up over eight months of sick leave. Last night would have been a good time to take some, eh?? She turned, stepped over Staffer?s severed left hand and grimaced. ?I have my doubts that his life will be the basis of an inspirational film.?

    Dandry turned away from Staffer?s face. He?d looked into hi
     
  6. FelsGoddess

    FelsGoddess Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2004
    ?I want to see where this started.?

    Great update!
     
  7. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    Dandry nodded and stepped around the corner behind Calysin. ?Holy Skywalker,? Dandry said quietly.

    Went from an amused chuckle at tht to 'damn!' with the next paragraph.


    Superb update!
     
  8. The_Face

    The_Face Ex-Manager star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 22, 2003
    ?Now this lovely fellow here . . .? she paused. ?And also there . . . and there . . . is Qualt Staffer.?

    Ha ha ha h? ewww...

    This trap thing intrigues the heck out of me. Why kill one of the guards? [face_thinking]

    Good update! Thanks for the PM.
     
  9. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    Chapter 1, cont.

    Calysin was fishing in the pocket of her loose jacket and she finally came out with a buzzing commlink. ?Calysin,? she said. ?Yeah,? after a moment, she added, and then dropped the commlink back in her pocket. ?What about the lead tech??

    ?Damn,? Dandry said. ?Yeah, we better talk to him first.? Dandry didn?t have to finish the sentence. Calysin knew as well as he did that if you went into a room without knowing exactly how someone had died, you?d never figure out exactly how it had happened. ?How long has he been here??

    Calysin glanced at her watch. ?Just over two hours. He shouldn?t be cold yet.?

    ?I want to get in that room,? Dandry said ruefully, glancing down the hall.

    ?I can take the tech?s statement,? Calysin said, extending the keycard to Dandry.

    Dandry waved it away. ?I need you in the room. What are you thinking??

    ?Yeah, okay,? Calysin said. ?Room?s locked down. Two guards. Not even the crime scene guys have gone in yet.?

    ?Okay,? Dandry said, making a decision, feeling the time burning as he hesitated, ?Tech. Come on,? he said, spinning on his heel and starting toward a door.

    ?This one,? Calysin said, pointing to another one. She stood back and let Dandry proceed her into the room. The medical technician was seated in a nearby chair. His head was bowed, resting on his right hand, propped on his leg. He looked up as the two detectives entered. His face was red, but not as red as his eyes, and not as red as the blood that stained his undershirt at the wrists and near the waist.

    ?I?m Detective Dandry and this is my partner, Detective Calysin,? Dandry said, flashing his ID badge again. ?Can we get you anything??

    ?I want to go home,? the tech said. His jaw was set; he was tired of waiting.

    ?Understandable,? Dandry said, taking a seat across from the younger man. ?If you can get it together just long enough to answer just a few more questions, I promise you that you?ll be on your way home in ten minutes.?

    The young man?s eyes burned. He wouldn?t believe that, of course, but he would want to believe. ?Okay,? he said.

    ?All right,? Dandry said. ?Now, one of the officers took a preliminary statement . . .?he began.

    ?And my clothes,? the young man said.

    ?Pardon me?? Dandry said, leaning forward. ?Oh, yes,? he said, at a gesture from the tech, ?Your uniform. Right. It?ll be processed and replaced on our chip, so don?t worry about that.? He shifted in his seat, glanced over his shoulder.

    Calysin extended the datapad to him, speaking as she did so, ?Emergency Medical Technician Stavin Cuddart. Been with the department for nearly five years.? At Dandry?s raised eyebrow, she said, ?Right out of school.?

    ?And a quick rise, it seems,? Dandry said. ?Under five years is fast to be a shift leader, isn?t it? I mean, in a Senatorial Apartment Complex.?

    ?I suppose,? Cuddart said, running a still raw and red hand through his blonde hair. At Dandry?s continued inquisitive silence, Cuddart sighed heavily and said, ?Yes, it is. I, uh, I show up and do my job. They liked that.?

    ?Right,? Dandry said, scrolling on the datapad, not looking at Cuddart. ?Amazing how mediocrity is the new brilliant. What comes of taking all comers at a job like this.?

    Calysin seated herself, crossed her legs at the ankle and said, ?Government paycheck, government benefits, government job?? Cuddart turned to gaze at her. ?Cushy, I mean??

    ?Yeah,? Cuddart said. ?I?m lucky. Better pay than most emergency technicians, more time off and less to do. A lot less.?

    ?Until tonight,? Dandry said, slipping the datapad into his pocket. ?You . . . well, never mind. Was this your first major emergency response??

    Cuddart nodded, leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees and rubbed his eyes. Hard. ?I don?t know. Adrenalin kicks in. I don?t remember a lot about it. The call came in and we hurried, just like the drills, but then . . .?

    After he had trailed off, Dandry let the silence hang for a long moment. ?All the
     
  10. zonzo

    zonzo Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 3, 2007
    A good update, and I'm interested in seeing where this goes [face_thinking]

    Put me on the PM list :)
     
  11. FelsGoddess

    FelsGoddess Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2004
    Great update!
     
  12. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    Hmmmm, I just know the comment about having a cold face is going to be importatnt somewhere down the line. ;)

    Excellent post! :)
     
  13. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    Chapter One, cont.

    Adam Dandry arrived at the door to Sulvun Clendon?s apartment and paused. ?Grig,? he said, to the security officer leaning against the wall on the right side of the door. ?What?s up??

    ?Watchin? the door,? Grig responded.

    ?Watchin? me watch the door,? the Coruscant Security Officer on the left side of the door said.

    ?We gonna do this again?? Grig said, finally straightening from his slouched position and running a hand over his mouth. ?My boss . . .?

    Calysin was frowning. ?Your boss ain?t got crap to do with this, kid. Get lost.?

    Dandry raised a hand. ?All right, all right. We ain?t gonna do this again, okay?? He tapped at the badge dangling about his neck. ?Coruscant Security Force, Special Political Crimes Unit.? He gestured at Grig?s uniform. ?Senatorial Security Guard.? He shrugged his shoulders. ?I think . . .?

    ?I don?t,? Grig said. ?I do what my boss tells me and he told me . . .?

    ?The Senator?s dead,? Calysin snapped. ?What the hell are you guarding??

    ?The Senator?s apartment,? Grig said. He pointed a finger as Calysin opened her mouth. ?And,? he said sharply, ?And . . . and, will you listen, thank you?? Calysin had closed her mouth, gestured broadly for the Security Guard to continue. ?That falls under our purview. Yes, I know what that word means, don?t look so shocked. Where?d you get this loser, Adam??

    Dandry let out a long breath. ?Call me Detective Dandry, if you don?t mind.?

    ?You called me Grig,? Grig said.

    ?I apologize. I had intended to go about this informally,? Dandry said. ?Since you want this all by the book, we can do that. Detective Calysin, record this conversation.?

    Calysin raised her commlink in silence. It was already recording. ?Very professional,? Grig said. ?I think you?re supposed to inform me of that, Detective Calysin.?

    ?CSF Regulations indicate that a detective has two minutes from the time of the beginning of the recording to inform the person being recorded,? Calysin said. ?Remember? Antilles v. The Bothan Embassy? Read up on that? It?s the law.?

    ?Well, that?s your purview, the law,? Grig said. ?Mine is protection, which is what I?m doing here.?

    ?It hasn?t been two minutes yet?? the CSF Officer on the other side of the door murmured. ?Seems like hours.?

    ?Just gettin? started,? Grig said. ?And . . .?

    ?Guard Griggston,? Dandry said, cutting him off. ?In what way does guarding a Senator?s apartment fall under your purview? Senate grounds are specifically under the protection of the Senatorial Assets Committee and the Senatorial Guards do not fall under their, uh, well, their purview, do they??

    ?No, it?s true, they don?t,? Grigston responded and he leaned against the wall again. ?Now, if there was a hole in that wall, that wouldn?t be my problem and if someone tried to come in to vandalize the apartment, I couldn?t stop them, by law. It would take a call to the SAC Chief and then a call to you, since the SAC outsources security measures to CSF rather than use the SSG. Ask me why that is.?

    ?You want me to tell you?? Calysin said. ?Because, I can.?

    ?Right, you remember the judicial opinion, I?m sure.?

    ?I do, as a matter of fact, except it wasn?t judicial, it was legislative. Essentially, the SSG dropped the ball, something they seem to do a lot,? Calysin said. "The SAC kicked 'em to the curb."

    ?Something they seem to do a lot,? Griggston said.

    ?Beside the point,? Dandry said. ?Like she said, get lost. Senatorial apartments are not your responsibility and a memo will be drafted to your superior stating that.?

    Griggston raised a finger. ?Senatorial apartments are not my responsibility. But a single Senator?s possessions? Those are. And the room you?re about to go in may be the Senate?s property and therefore under the SAC, but the things in it? Those belong to Sulvun Clendon as a person and are considered, by law, to be included in any legal actions taken against or on behalf of that person. Maybe you remember Sleedo
     
  14. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    Ye[ best to look at personal life and professional life for that list of suspects.

    Excellent post! :)
     
  15. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    Chapter One, cont.

    The sun was only beginning its ascent into the sky. Adam Dandry paused for a moment on the landing platform and looked up into the flat, blue sky, nearly cloudless today, a rare day of complete clarity. The lines of traffic crisscrossed his vision and the buildings that surrounded him shot like daggers toward the sun?s path. The sky was large today, even in this city and Adam Dandry felt a momentary pity. The sun had a long path ahead of it today and it had barely even begun. In this, he thought, even two such dissimilar things as he and the sun had something in common.

    He turned to glance at Fin Calysin. She scrolling down her datapad with one hand, pulling her medium length brown hair back into a makeshift pony tail with the other. She glanced up at him. ?We ready??

    ?Yeah,? Dandry said. He tossed the last bite of his breakfast into his mouth and crumpled the thin wrapper that had contained it. What he?d just eaten had been hot, perhaps its only virtue, obnoxiously flavored and probably . . . well, he preferred not to think about it. Particularly since he figured he?d be eating at the vendors? establishments for a while now. His nose hadn?t been able to figure out what exactly had comprised the Bantha Breakfast Surprise, but he could smell a tight case a mile away. Eating, for a while now, he thought, would be something done on the run, in transit from scene to scene, witness to witness.

    The two detectives left their official speeder parked on the landing platform and started toward the Senate Building. They had used a small landing platform on the lower east side of the building. They would not be passing through the sweeping main entrance and its incumbent portico; they were not tourists. Nor would they be passing through the smaller, but somehow cozier back entrance, since they were not Senatorial Staff. The Secret Tunnels down several levels? No, neither were they celebrities or criminals called to testify before one of the Senate?s myriad committees. No, they were simply entering through one of the dozens of small entrances used by people when they were not interested in concealing their identity, seeing the sights or hobnobbing with co-workers.

    Inside the door, the hall was packed with individuals of all shapes, sizes and species. There was only one speed, however: maniacally fast. Everyone in sight was hustling for something. Doors were sliding open and closed, the hum of conversation was almost deafening and Dandry and Calysin soon discovered that if they intended to reach their destination, they would have to say goodbye to any concept of personal space.

    They pressed on quickly, through the rotating crop of faces until they had finally reached the Senatorial Staffing Office. Through the door and they found themselves in a small, cramped room in which, by some miracle of experimental physics, two desks had somehow been placed, along with three filing cabinets, four data stations and a unbelievable number of sheets of paper, scattered from one side of the room to the other.

    ?Detective Dandry,? Dandry said showing his badge to the entire room, which was packed with people. ?Is this the Senatorial Staffing Office??

    ?This is the Senatorial Staffing Annex,? a voice said from across the room. A young male Bith looked up for the data station where he had been standing, peering over the user?s shoulder. He tapped the user on the shoulder and then turned toward the detectives. ?Detectives Dandry and Calysin?? he said. He made his way through the room, somehow without bumping into any of the objects scattered in his path. ?I?m Gilbirt Sl?ol. Special Assistant to the Chief of Senatorial Staffing. We spoke on the comm.?

    ?Mr. Sl?ol,? Dandry said, shaking the Bith?s hand. ?Of course. I think Detective Calysin was the one who spoke to you.?

    ?Yeah, yeah,? Gilbirt said, turning to Calysin and inclining his head just slightly. ?Over here, where we can have a little room to ourselves.?

    Gilbirt led them to a nearby door, almost
     
  16. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    Ha! Love that last line.

    Excellent post.
     
  17. Lilith Demodae

    Lilith Demodae Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 1, 1999
    Just found this, and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. Please add me to your PM list if you've got one.
     
  18. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    CHAPTER ONE, CONT.

    ?Dr. Strizzlin,? Dandry said as he pushed through the large transparisteel doors marked Medical Examiner.

    ?Morning, detectives,? Strizzlin said, looking up over the rims of his glasses and quickly running a hand through his frizzy and prematurely gray hair. The fact that the hand was wearing a glove coated with something green and apparently slimy, Dandry decided not to mention. Different strokes, after all.

    ?Your boss back?? Dandry asked.

    ?He is not,? Strizzlin said. ?Matter of fact, he only just left about, ah, twenty minutes ago.?

    ?Headed back to the scene?? Dandry said.

    ?Yeah, see what he can do with that guard that?s, uh, yeah, in pieces,? Strizzlin shook his head slowly, perhaps thrilled to find it still attached to his body. ?Gruesome stuff. What was his name??

    ?Staffer,? Calysin spoke up.

    ?Right, Staffer.? Strizzlin swiveled in his chair and scanned a nearby table. ?But he did . . . now, where the . . . ah.? He grabbed at a folder, reversed it, tipped his head back to look through his glasses at the label and then extended it over his shoulder. ?For you.?

    Dandry took the folder and flipped it open as Calysin moved up next to him. ?The Old Man works fast.?

    Strizzlin did not respond. His head was already bent low over the specimen tray in front of him again. He was muttering quietly to himself about fluids.

    The preliminary report was labeled as such, stamped on every page with a red stamp indicating that the report had not yet been confirmed or signed off. Cover for errors made due to the quickness of the report. Dandry knew the Old Man and his work and he?d never seen a preliminary report change in even the slightest detail after it had been confirmed. Dandry wondered briefly about what would happen to the planet when the Old Man was no longer on hand to help the police solve crimes. They wouldn?t get solved, more than likely.

    ?Yeah, looks about like we said,? Calysin said. ?But, man, look at that blood loss.?

    ?Femoral artery trauma led most precipitously to death,? Dandry read. ?He could have lived a little longer without that.? He paused. ?They probably could have saved him without that. Wait a minute . . . what?s this??

    Calysin scanned down the page. ?Foreign material. Ay, Strizzlin, what?s this foreign material??

    ?Not sure,? Strizzlin said, looking up. ?I tagged it and sent it to the lab when the Old Man found it.? He glanced at the chrono and then rubbed his hair down again. ?They?re probably finished with it. There?s a rush on it, obviously.?

    ?Every investigation should run this smoothly,? Dandry deadpanned. ?It?s useful when the victim is a celebrity.?

    ?What was it though?? Calysin said. ?Fiber, hair . . .?

    ?Nope,? Strizzlin said, swishing a small tube around in one hand. ?Some kind of metallic substance. A flake, you know. Under the nail, like he scratched it off the killer.? He raised his other hand in mock surrender. ?Not the detective.?

    ?You do all right,? Dandry said, glancing at Calysin. ?Let?s see if our sample has hit the lab too.? He popped out his commlink and connected to the lab. ?Detective Dandry, Political Crimes, badge # PC-23-90463270. Should have two samples tagged under that number.? He covered the commlink with his hand. ?So, we got it under the vic?s fingernails and on the window frame,? he said.

    ?Mmm,? Calysin agreed. ?There?s Mr. Staffer,? she said as an image appeared on Strizzlin?s data terminal screen with a sharp ding.

    Strizzlin slipped a glove off and tilted the screen so he could see. ?Old Man?s there. He loves his pictures.?

    ?Pictures like that, who wouldn?t?? Dandry said. ?Yes, that?s right, two samples,? he said into the commlink. He listened briefly. ?Right, send that to my data account. Thank you, sir.? He clicked off the commlink. ?Yeah, same stuff. Both samples.?

    ?And please tell me it had the killer?s name encoded in its molecular structure,? Calysin said.

    ?Nope, no name,? Dandry said. He frowned. ?Gold. Pure gol
     
  19. Lilith Demodae

    Lilith Demodae Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 1, 1999
    Ah, at last a solid Clue!

    This is quite exciting. I'm very much enjoying your characters and the story is riviting. Keep up the great work.
     
  20. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    I like how Dandry thinks so highly of the Old Man.

    Aha! Gold. Interesting. We'll see where this goes now.
     
  21. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    CHAPTER ONE, CONT

    Neither Calysin nor Dandry had spoken much on the drive back to the station. Once at their desks, they would pull up the Coruscant Security Forces Database and begin running cross matches. Murders of senators, killers who set deadly snares, genital mutilation . . . these would be the phrases around which their world would revolve for at least the remainder of this day. And now they had another small phrase to throw into the mix: a killer in a golden mask.

    Their work would not wait to begin, however, until they had entered their badge numbers into the CSF Database. It had already begun. Their minds were working now, pulling up files, matching memories, connecting pieces. The Database would help perhaps and could be more comfortably trusted. But there was something too to be said for the intuitive leaps of the mind, the subconscious depths that stored a wealth of information gleaned over the years of investigation.

    Fin Calysin had made her bones in Sex Crimes. She?d seen her share of trauma to the sexual organs (actually, more than her share) and it generally indicated something distinctly personal at stake. There were easier ways to kill someone than a knife to the femoral artery; one stabbed in that direction to make a point. This seemed to line up with the word on Clendon?s promiscuous approach to sexuality. But nothing else matched.

    Her subconscious mind was being dredged now, being searched for any case she could recall where the point had been assault on the sexual organs that had also featured the cool calculation of the deadly snare that had taken the life of Qualt Staffer. There was reason, logic, a steady hand in back of that snare and, most tellingly of all, there was intricate planning ahead of time. Sexual violence rarely involved reason, rarely involved logic, hardly ever a steady hand . . . and if the point had been vengeance on Sulvun Clendon, if the point had been to wreak vengeance on the very specific section of Clendon?s life that revolved around sex, why then the detailed effort and planning to set up the snare in the hallway?

    Adam Dandry was thinking about something else entirely. He knew that Calysin would be focusing on the sexual aspect. He?d come out of Violent Crimes and he was remembering something about rituals. It felt like a ritual, looked like a ritual, the way Clendon had apparently been spread eagled on the couch and then his wrists slit, first one, then the other.

    He?d said earlier to Calysin that he wondered if there might have been two people there. Rituals sometimes involved several. But he was fairly sure that the tech team wouldn?t find any trace evidence in Clendon?s apartment. He was damned sure they wouldn?t find evidence of a crowd. Sulvun Clendon?s death had been done to perfection.

    This was the conclusion Fin Calysin was coming to as well. One Senator, taken in his own apartment, mutilated in the sexual organs, slit across both wrists as he lay across a low couch, left to bleed out slowly; one guard, cut into three pieces by an artfully hidden snare for no apparent reason; and now, a face of gold. A mask, she thought, of gold.

    As the speeder pulled into its parking grid at the CSF building, she slowly popped her door and exited the vehicle. She had an uneasy feeling. She had the feeling that the perpetrator of the murders committed early that morning . . . well, she thought she?d seen the connection between the wicked snare, the ritualistic method of the killing, the violent mutilation and even the golden mask.

    Yes, the person who had done these things . . . that person was looking for attention. Well, she?d try to give him some.
     
  22. Healer_Leona

    Healer_Leona Squirrel Wrangler of Fun & Games star 9 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2000
    And no doubt kill again!

    Keep it coming Rogue. :)
     
  23. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    CHAPTER ONE, CONT.

    The room was dark, lit only by a dim flicker from the holoscreen in front of the two detectives. Behind them, a young man, his hair in blonde spikes, chewed his lip. ?Yeah,? he was saying over and over again. ?Yeah, yeah, yeah.?

    Dandry and Calysin glanced at each other in the darkness. Dandry opened his mouth as if to say something over his shoulder and then he decided against it. Calysin let a slow smirk start.

    ?Okay, okay, okay, okay,? the young man said, ?I got it, I got it. Here it is.? A still image flickered to the screen. ?This is the first camera view, but we got every camera from Clendon?s floor.? He flicked at the badge that hung around his neck, a badge that read simply ?Elec.?

    ?Okay, great,? Dandry said. ?Give us the closest thing you can get to Clendon?s door.?

    The image changed and then began to move. ?Okay, okay,? Elec said. ?Yeah, this is about as close as you get. No straight on shots, sorry.? The view was aiming down the length of the hall.

    ?Can?t even see the facking doors,? Dandry said. ?There?s nothing better??

    ?Privacy concerns, dude,? Elec said. ?From what I hear, the Senators kicked up a fuss about all the cameras.?

    ?They took the cameras out of their rooms,? Calysin said. ?But what was the problem with cameras on each of the doors??

    ?Well, obviously, man,? Elec said. ?When the doors opened, if the camera?s straight opposite, like they were, you can see inside the apartment.?

    ?For ten seconds?? Dandry said. ?What exactly goes on in those apartments??

    ?That?s what they don?t want us to know,? Elec said. ?I mean, I guess I get it. I mean, cameras everywhere, no privacy at all, I mean, that could get old, like really fast.?

    ?Well, it?s gonna get really old for a lot of people if Clendon?s killer gets away because of privacy concerns,? Dandry snapped.

    ?What time are we here?? Calysin asked, gesturing at the screen.

    ?You know, civil liberties are at the heart of all our liberties, dude,? Elec said. ?Uh, yeah, let me put up the time stamp.?

    The time flashed up on the screen, the seconds ticking away at an incredibly fast speed. ?So, we?re about an hour before Clendon hit the guardbox,? Dandry said, crossing his arms. ?Something?s got to start happening soon.? The numbers ticked away, the hall absolutely still. Then movement. ?Whoa,? Dandry said. The playback shifted to a normal rate of speed.

    The figure was clad in a large hooded robe, the hood up, the robe trailing to the floor. ?Could be anybody,? Calysin said.

    The figure slowly walked down the hall and then, with a sudden sharp turn, he was gone. ?Damn,? Dandry said.

    ?That was fast,? Calysin said. ?Did he have a key card??

    ?I don?t know,? Dandry said. ?Or was Clendon watching for him? Waiting for him??

    ?A man, you think?? Calysin said.

    ?Sith, I don?t know,? Dandry said. ?Could have been a woman. I couldn?t tell a thing.?

    ?When he comes out, will he have to pass this camera?? Calysin said.

    ?The hall has two exits, but there?s a camera at both of them,? Elec said. ?Which ever way he goes, we?ll have him from the front. Unless he frigging backs out.?

    ?I?m a little anxious to see this valuable face we?ve heard so much about,? Dandry said, shooting a glance at Calysin. She nodded silently. ?There!? Dandry snapped. A small hunched figure had lunged into the picture near Clendon?s door. He frowned, furrowed his brow.

    ?Wait a minute,? Calysin said. ?That?s . . .?

    ?That?s Clendon,? Dandry said. ?He escaped while the killer was still in the apartment??

    ?Or the killer let him go,? Calysin said, rubbing her forehead.

    ?Yeah,? Dandry said. ?Yeah, a forced march for the victim. You think??

    Calysin slowly shook her head, not committing herself. Clendon was slowly making his way down the hall toward the camera. ?I don?t need to see this,? she said quietly.

    ?High speed again,? Dandry said. ?But watch, we need to see this guy leave.? They waited, they watched, Clendon passed the camera,
     
  24. Lilith Demodae

    Lilith Demodae Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 1, 1999
    Oh, tricky, tricky. This killer's several steps ahead of them just now, isn't he?
     
  25. Jedi_Perigrine

    Jedi_Perigrine Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 22, 2008
    I love this story, and I'm not even done reading all the posts. Damn limited time, anyhow! I'll catch up on the rest of the story as soon as I can. Please send me a PM when you update next, if you're doing that sort of thing.

    Thank you!

    Cuckolds! heh heh
     
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